Florida with Key West

Day 1

The warm Florida sun beckons as we travel south. With stops for lunch and rest, we'll arrive in Fayetteville, NC for our first night's lodging. Dinner will be on your own.

Day 2

After breakfast, we will continue on our winter escape. After stops for rest & lunch, we'll arrive to our lodging in St. Augustine, FL by early evening. Upon arrival, we'll visit the Fountain of Youth. Dinner is included at a local restaurant this evening.

Day 3

After breakfast on your own, we'll tour St. Augustine's Old City including the Cathedral of St. Augustine, the oldest Catholic parish in America, plus time to explore the Spanish Fortress San Augustin Antiquo. Also included will be the Lightner Museum and other points of interest. After lunch, we'll continue southward to the Space Coast and our lodging in Titusville, FL. Dinner is included at a local restaurant.

Day 4

Following breakfast at the hotel, we'll visit the Kennedy Space Center. NASA's launch headquarters is the only place on Earth where you can tour launch areas, meet a veteran astronaut, and see giant rockets. After lunch on our own, we'll head to our lodging for this evening near Coconut Creek, FL. Dinner is included at a local restaurant.

Day 5

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Butterly World. This is the first Butterfly House in the United States and the largest in the world. Butterfly World encompasses butterfly aviaries, botanical gardens, the working butterfly farm & research center, and much more! After lunch on our own, we'll continue south to our lodging for the next three nights in Key West. Dinner will be included at a local restaurant.

Day 6

Key West - this is the place we've come to see! This morning, after breakfast on your own, we will begin our exploration of the island with a tour of Old Key West. After lunch, you are free to explore at your leisure. This evening be sure to join the crowds that gather to watch the sun drop into the sea, leaving the sky with pink, gold and lavender reminders. Dinner is at your leisure this evening.

Day 7

Today will be entirely free to enjoy as you please. Perhaps you will ride the Old Town Trolley which offers re-boarding privileges to enjoy the variety of shopping, dining, and attractions. Those more adventurous might try snorkeling, fishing, or even an exciting fly tour to historic Fort Jefferson. Your driver and escort will be happy to assist you with suggestions and arrangements. Don't miss the food - anyone for conch chowder or Key Lime pie?

Day 8

Following breakfast on your own, you can look for a few alligators sunning themselves in swamps next to the highway as we return to Florida's mainland and travel through Everglades National Park. A stop will be made at Everglades Safari Park where a swamp boat tour will be included. Our destination today is Naples, FL. The remainder of the afternoon and evening will be free to enjoy Naples at your leisure. A trolley tour, art gallery visit, or boutique shopping are just a few suggestions.

Day 9

Breakfast is included at the hotel. Today will be a free day to enjoy Naples at your leisure. Later we will see more of the Gulf of Mexico on our way to Sarasota where we will check-in for the next three nights. Dinner will be included at a local restaurant.

Day 10

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll visit the John & Mable Ringling Museum, which was created from the fortune John Ringling derived from his circus and vast real estate investments. Included is the Circus Museum and Museum of Art. This afternoon we will travel to Tampa to spend the remainder of the day at the Florida State Fair. Dinner is at your leisure this evening.

Day 11

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the Bishop Museum of Science & Nature. This museum reflects Florida's history from prehistoric times to the present. Included is a visit to the Parker Manatee Aquarium. This evening will be a special dinner cruise departing from Sarasota's marina.

Day 12

After breakfast, we visit Mote Aquarium where we can view manatees, sharks, sea turtles, eels, as well as many of southwest Florida's plants, fish, and invertebrates. Later, we will visit Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Specializing in epiphytes (air plants) the gardens feature orchids, carnivorous pitcher plants, succulent plants, and many more. An elevated boardwalk winds through a mangrove swamp. We then continue on to our lodging in Ocala, FL.

Day 13

Before we depart Florida, we'll have breakfast at the hotel. We'll retrace our steps northward, stopping for rest & lunch. Our lodging is in Fayetteville, NC. Sit back and relax, and relive the memories of our days under the warm Florida sun. Dinner will be at your leisure this evening.

Day 14

We'll enjoy a final hotel breakfast before heading home. With stops for rest & lunch, arrival home is scheduled for early evening.

Please note

Our intention is to run each tour as originally planned and published. However, if deemed necessary to do so, Perkiomen Tours reserves the right to make changes to tour components, schedules or itineraries without prior notification.

Tips for Perkiomen motorcoach drivers and tour escorts are not included in the price of this tour. We feel that these gratuities should be extended on an individual basis and dictated by the level of service provided.

Motorcoach seating is assigned at the time of reservation but can not be guaranteed. Although we do our best to keep each traveler in the seat assigned at the time of reservation, there are times that it is necessary to move seat locations. Please be sure to verify your final seat number(s) with your driver at the time of boarding. Daily seat rotation is practiced on most multi-day tours. Seat rotation will be explained by your driver or tour escort.

To fully participate in this tour may require extended amounts of walking. There may be steps, inclines, uneven surfaces or extended periods of standing. Participants with physical limitation should take this into consideration.

CB=Continental Breakfast, D=Dinner